Simply Catholic and Welcoming You
All St. Brigit's Community Catholic Church clergy are unpaid by the church, meaning we do not receive a wage or stipend. That said wedding planners and funeral homes do pay clergy a fee as these are time involved and often hard, though wonderful work. Beyond that we hold jobs, run separate businesses and raise our families just as the rest of our congregations do.
We receive our Holy Orders, Apostolic Succession and authorities from our Episcopate via our College of Bishops.
Our mission at St. Brigit's is to serve the spiritual needs of our online and in person congregations via sacramental catholic and interfaith ministries.
I am blessed indeed to have this wonderful woman as my wife, mother of our three children and helper in all I/we do or attempt to do. Rev. Char/Amma Char is my partner on our little mini farm where we focus on raising our kids and self sufficiency. Best way we know to 'not be a burden to our congregation'.
Char is every bit as much my partner in our church endeavours. Most days we co-celebrate mass, alternating on who is 'lead' priest. I actually now feel lonely when I do mass solo.
Rev. Char brings her efficiency, business degree, organisational skills and her amazing compassion to her priesthood. I don't know anyone more loving or with a bigger heart than this wonderful woman. I am Blessed indeed to have her at my side in all that we do and especially in our priesthood journey together.
I, of course am Fr. Plib or Philip to non-churchgoers and non-Gaelic speakers. I am a retired combatives master instructor, use of force master instructor and holder of multiple black belts including some 5th and 6th degree belts in various disciplines.
As a correctional officer I 'specialised' in working with sexual offenders and as a chaplain I worked with the survivors of sexual and ritual abuse. I am all too well acquainted with the darker side of humanity, personally and professionally.
Yet my background grew a real love of all people, a refusal to judge others and a love of Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Exemplar. Any of us can get lost in this life and too many of us do.
When we put our faith in the Lord and not 'the arm of flesh', not people or systems, just in God, Love, redemption and salvation amazing things happen. We can all come back to the love of Christ and live as He calls us to.
There is no need or reason to complicate the process of faith nor the miracles it can produce. Love God, love our neighbour and love ourselves. Simply catholic!
When was the last time you truly loved yourself? Your neighbour? God? Perhaps it's time you had a conversation with a priest who will not judge. Will unconditionally love and listen to you. We will offer such spiritual guidance as we can to any who seek it.